Synopsis
Two persnickety mice, Marcus and Marcella, keep complaining about the noisy forest animals and the hard work they have to do every day in searching for food. They become very excited when a chipmunk tells them about a quiet farmhouse with lots of good food. In spite of warnings from the forest animals, they immediately move to the farm.
Their dreams come true. But their wonderful life comes to an abrupt end when the farmer and his wife come home to their unwelcome guests. After barely escaping with their lives, Marcus and Marcella quickly return to their forest home. They learn to appreciate that even with all the noise and hard work, the forest is a wonderful place to live.
Ann Sanger - Children's Literature
Bright, colorful, and cartoon-like illustrations will be appealing to young children in this entry in the "Fun Times with Timeless Virtues Picture Books." The "Sommer-Time Story" aims to teach tolerance, friendship and appreciation. In the story, Marcus and Marcella are two mice who complain about everything. They are tired of having to find their own food, plus the crows, beavers, and chipmunks are much too noisy. Soon the two mice pack their belonging and off they travel to the farm, where they feast on the farmer's food. As suddenly as they appear, the farmer's wife screams and chases them out of the house. Hurriedly they return to the forest, where they are cheerfully accepted by their friends. There is a nice moral to the story, teaching children to appreciate what they have. This is an excellent source for communicating virtues and teaching positive character traits. 2003, Advance Publishing,